How to pack your bag for a trip to Meghalaya in the monsoons?

Proudly boasting itself as the “Wettest place on Earth” and quite living up to it, Meghalaya is the ultimate romance of Nature during Monsoon! The exhilarating beauty which the nature displays in its favourite season is something one cannot afford to miss.

It is around June-September, when monsoon is at its peak in this region. The giant clouds rising from the Bay of Bengal showers unending rain during this season, making Meghalaya so uniquely beautiful. That’s the reason; it’s also called the “Abode of clouds”. You can expect to see amazing waterfalls in their full flow, lush green land, some temporary waterfalls created due to the heavy downpours, caves at their best at this time. The air is full of mist and you can almost be lost in a blanket of clouds. Though there will also be times when the sun would peep in a little and make it warm for you to step out in the open. All in all, it’s a scintillating natural blessing which must be experienced!

But, (yes there is a But!) How do you know what to carry and what not? There will be rains, and that a lot of it. Plus you haven’t been to the North-East India yet, but you really want to witness the epitome of beauty in Meghalayan Monsoons! Well, fret not; we are here to the rescue! (You can thank us later!)

Here’s a guide on how to pack your bags for the adventure called “Meghalaya in Monsoons”-

Keep your belongings dry– Your awesome trip to Meghalaya will be ruined if all your clothes and precious belongings are soaked up. It is always smart to be prepared when you embark on an adventure. You would want to get yourself these-

Rain cover for your bag– If you don’t already have a rain cover, you should get yourself one. It’s of great use, not only for this trip, but a good travel accessory. It provides a decent protection from mild showers and keeps your bag clean and dry.

Wrap clothes in dry bags/plastic bags– Meghalayan Monsoons are pretty harsh on the downpour and that itself is the beauty. There will be heavy constant showers and your rain cover might not be enough to protect your belongings. You can categorise your belongings into shirts, pants, inner wears, toiletries etc., put them in a plastic bag and wrap them well and then place these wrapped bags inside your backpack/travel bag.

Take a camera rain coat– Sounds fancy, but this one is especially advised for all the photographers. You wouldn’t want even a drop of water to enter your lenses and turn your awesome vacation into a nightmare! There might be times you want to make a time-lapse of the spell bounding rains or just click random pictures; a camera rain coat will ensure the safety of your beloved gadget.

2.Keep yourself dry– Okay, Now Step 1 is done- All your gears are going to be safe and dry! But it’s equally important to keep yourself dry. You wouldn’t want to catch a cold or feel sticky and soaked up!

Grab a rain coat or a poncho– Now this might look a little silly because it’s obvious. Yet it’s the most important accessory you need to carry. I would prefer aponchowhich covers you well along with your backpack if you go for a hike or trek. Though I highly recommend you to try on the peculiar beautiful bamboo umbrellas (knups) you can see locals wearing in Cherra and Mawsynram!

A quirky colorful travel umbrella– When it’s just drizzling and you want to take a stroll out open in the lush green fields, take off those rain jackets and carry this cute umbrella instead. Oh boy! You are going to love those cliché umbrella poses pictures you would click amidst the clouds!

Handy pair of clothes- If you have packed your bags well and locked them up on the carrier, you would want to keep a pair of clothes in your day pack. You never know you might want to take a shower in any of the lavish natural waterfalls on the way!

3. Choose your clothes wisely– Well, you can bid goodbye to your heavy denims and cotton clothes! They aren’t really Monsoon friendly. They soak up moisture and take hours to dry!

Take quick drying clothes- Carry Light clothes made of materials like polyester clothes or synthetic fabrics like nylon. You can also toss in your workout wears because they are really lightweight and almost water resistant.

Get those shorts along- If you are particular about not getting your clothes dirty, bring a few shorts with you, these would keep from getting your pants muddy.

Precautionary clothing- Tag along a wind cheater and a mild warm sweatshirt, the evenings tend to get cold and windy, plus it’s almost always walking through clouds and mist. Unless of course you are Robert Downy Jr.(Iron man :p ) blessed with superpowers.

Towels are important- Keep extra lightweight quick dry towels with you. A handy small towel in the purse or a day bag is a must.

4. Happy feet is the secret to a happy trip– Even if you don’t plan a trek or a hike, your trip will involve some walking. While traveling, it’s important to have dry and happy feet and for that, you should:

Carry extra pairs of socks– For obvious reasons, they will get wet-a lot!

Waterproof Slippers– A pair of waterproof and anti-slip flips flops or sandals. Don’t get your high heels or very expensive delicate leather shoes.

Hiking Boots- Sturdy waterproof hiking boots if you plan to walk to the double-decker living root bridges or trek the David Scott trail or any long hike/trek,

Good long hiking socks- This too if you plan a trek, will keep your feet safe from Leeches and insects who love to say Hello in Monsoon.

5. Medicines and repellents– Now a basic first aid box should be taken everywhere no matter how short a trip is. A few other essentials you might want to toss in-

Mosquito Repellents– Do not, I repeat Do not forget Mosquito Repellents! Monsoon Season is the Mecca of Mosquitoes and Meghalaya is home to innumerous of these tiny monsters. There’s a variety of body repellents available in the form of gels, creams or liquid etc. Grab any of these as per your needs. (Don’t rely on those stupid anti insect apps on phone).

Anti-Allergic medicines– Carry Anti- Allergic Tablets especially if you are planning a trek, you might happen to touch some plants which give unpleasant results, pop in one of these tablets and you would do just fine.

Other Basics– Antiseptic cream, bandage, disinfectant etc.

Don’t get intimidated by this list, when you have a closer look you will realise that most of the stuff mentioned here are easily available with you. It’s always good to be prepared when you are out for an adventure. Visiting the rain capital of the world while it’s at its best is a badass and fun thing to do. Let Meghalaya stun and awe you!

Khublei! (Greetings in Khasi language.)

You can explore theshop section on our website and rent a few of the things, that you may need for your trip.

Thanks for sharing this helpful information. You are inspiring me for travel in Meghalaya. I’m sure most people can take notes from this article. One thing most people lack experience while travel in Meghalaya. I have a couple of young friends that are going to Meghalaya soon. Well, this post gives us some good ideas for our Meghalaya traveling.

Thanks for sharing this helpful information. You are inspiring me for travel in Meghalaya. I’m sure most people can take notes from this article. One thing most people lack experience while travel in Meghalaya. I have a couple of young friends that are going to Meghalaya soon. Well, this post gives us some good ideas for our Meghalaya traveling.

Hey Marty, Thank you for taking the time out to comment and appreciate the effort we put in. We hope your friends have a great time in Meghalaya. If you need any other help then we would be happy to assist!

Hey Marty,

Thank you for taking the time out to comment and appreciate the effort we put in. We hope your friends have a great time in Meghalaya. If you need any other help then we would be happy to assist!

Wow! Such awesome tips in regard to backpacking for a trip to Meghalaya in the monsoons, I’m sure most people can take notes from this article. One thing most people lack experience while travel in Meghalaya. I have a couple of young friends that are going to get travel in Meghalaya soon. Well, this post gives me some good ideas for travel in Meghalaya.

Wow! Such awesome tips in regard to backpacking for a trip to Meghalaya in the monsoons, I’m sure most people can take notes from this article. One thing most people lack experience while travel in Meghalaya. I have a couple of young friends that are going to get travel in Meghalaya soon. Well, this post gives me some good ideas for travel in Meghalaya.

I just went through your entire blog and I found it quite interesting. You’ve really covered up almost all the possible packing list that a beginner should follow while travel in Meghalaya. My husband and I have been thinking of going on the Meghalaya trip. This article can make our trip much more relaxing and enjoyable. Thanks.

I just went through your entire blog and I found it quite interesting. You’ve really covered up almost all the possible packing list that a beginner should follow while travel in Meghalaya. My husband and I have been thinking of going on the Meghalaya trip. This article can make our trip much more relaxing and enjoyable. Thanks.

We are so glad that you found the blog helpful and took time out to comment and appreciate the effort. Let us know if you would need any assurance in planning a trip for you. Usually our specialty is in creating unique experiences connecting you with the locals. So we are only a call away. :)

We are so glad that you found the blog helpful and took time out to comment and appreciate the effort.

Let us know if you would need any assurance in planning a trip for you.

Usually our specialty is in creating unique experiences connecting you with the locals. So we are only a call away. 🙂

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.

I am so grateful I found your post, You’ve really covered up almost all the possible tips that a beginner should follow while packing a bag when travel in meghalaya. My husband and I have been thinking of going on Meghalaya soon. Actually, I got a lot of information from your blog which can make our Meghalaya trip much more relaxing and enjoyable. Thanks.

I am so grateful I found your post, You’ve really covered up almost all the possible tips that a beginner should follow while packing a bag when travel in meghalaya. My husband and I have been thinking of going on Meghalaya soon. Actually, I got a lot of information from your blog which can make our Meghalaya trip much more relaxing and enjoyable. Thanks.

Wow! Such awesome informative article in regard to packing tips to travel in Meghalaya, I love traveling in different places, I remember there were awesome days when I’d first time traveling in Meghalaya for the fun of it and it was fantastic, I glad to have a blog to accompany me in my quest.

Wow! Such awesome informative article in regard to packing tips to travel in Meghalaya, I love traveling in different places, I remember there were awesome days when I’d first time traveling in Meghalaya for the fun of it and it was fantastic, I glad to have a blog to accompany me in my quest.

Thank you Nishant for such detailed information. We have booked our stay for June in Meghalaya not knowing that it will rain a lot. Somehow I got a little misguided from other posts on the internet. Could you please let me know if it just keeps raining in June? Cz I like to be out of the hotel the whole time on my vacation. Will that be possible? Covering all…

Thank you Nishant for such detailed information. We have booked our stay for June in Meghalaya not knowing that it will rain a lot. Somehow I got a little misguided from other posts on the internet. Could you please let me know if it just keeps raining in June? Cz I like to be out of the hotel the whole time on my vacation. Will that be possible? Covering all the siteseeing spots in the rain? One more thing…do you think we can do double decker bridge with a 4 year old in monsoon? Or is it not advisable at all?

Hi Garima, thank you for appreciating the effort. I was in Arunachal Pradesh all these days and hence couldn't reply to your message earlier. Well, usually we plan different itineraries for the monsoons and the drier months. Even though June is when the monsoon picks up here, whether you will get rains or not in your days of travel will depend on the forecast for the day. What you surely…

Hi Garima, thank you for appreciating the effort. I was in Arunachal Pradesh all these days and hence couldn’t reply to your message earlier. Well, usually we plan different itineraries for the monsoons and the drier months. Even though June is when the monsoon picks up here, whether you will get rains or not in your days of travel will depend on the forecast for the day. What you surely won’t be seeing are the blue waters of Meghalaya but as a barter, you will get to see brimming waterfalls. As far as the Double decker bridge trek goes, it is always good to spend a night at the village instead of doing the trek and going back up. For your 4-year-old, it will be advisable to take a porter along who can carry the child when he/she gets tired. Feel free to email me if you have any other doubts ([email protected])

Meghalaya is an awesome place for traveling but Monsoon time is the best time for Meghalaya visit. Most of the people are visiting in Monsoon. I am reading your blog is very helpful for monsoon trip for Meghalaya. Nice guideline it's an important point you share on this blog. Thanks for sharing.

Meghalaya is an awesome place for traveling but Monsoon time is the best time for Meghalaya visit. Most of the people are visiting in Monsoon. I am reading your blog is very helpful for monsoon trip for Meghalaya. Nice guideline it’s an important point you share on this blog. Thanks for sharing.